Navigating the Issue of Illegal Rat-Hole Mining

On 9th February 2026, Meghalaya Chief Minister announced to constitute a judicial inquiry commission to investigate blast in an illegal rat-hole coal mine that killed 27 miners.

Understanding Rat-hole Mining

  • Rat-hole mining is a primitive and hazardous method of extracting coal, primarily practiced in Meghalaya.

Types

  • Side-cutting: Digging narrow tunnels into hill slopes until the coal seam is reached.
  • Box-cutting: Digging a rectangular pit (at least 5 sq. meters) up to 400 feet deep. Once the coal seam is found, lateral "rat-hole" tunnels are dug in all directions.

Why is rat-hole mining prevalent in Meghalaya?

  • Geological Factors: Coal seams ....
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